FISHING REPORTS

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Rainbow fishing has been very good from shore throughout the reservoir. The hot spots are on the north end around the Outhouse and Shannon while using leech pattern or egg pattern flies. Rainbows are also being caught on red and black marabou jigs, spawn sacks, worms or spinners. Rainbows and an occasional walleye are being caught around the Silos from shore on worms. Boat anglers found a few walleyes between Ponds 1 and 2 while using jigs or a drop shot with a worm. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Rainbows are cruising the shorelines and anglers are catching some nice fish around the boat ramp at York Bridge while using egg patterns, spawn sacks, beads, wooly buggers, and leech patterns. A few rainbows are being picked up below Canyon Ferry Dam while using plain nightcrawlers. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Holter: Rainbows are cruising the shorelines, and a lot of fish are being caught at the Gates of the Mountains area, Departure Point, Log Gulch, and the BLM boat ramp near the Dam. Most anglers are using egg patterns, beads, wooly buggers, and San Juan worms. Some are having luck using night crawlers, spawn sacks, and power bait. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Troy Humphrey | Biologist 1

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Rainbow fishing has been very good from shore throughout the reservoir with the best action occurring from shore on the north end between the Outhouse, Shannon and Kim’s Marina. Try using leech pattern flies or small black or brown nymphs. Boat anglers are also catching a few rainbows on the north end while fishing close to shore. The Silos area has produced some rainbows as well from both shore and boat. Walleye fishing was slow this past weekend. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: The rainbow bite has been good, and fish are cruising the shorelines. York Bridge boat ramp has been a popular spot, and anglers are using egg flies and leech patterns. Boat anglers are doing well for trout while trolling various crankbaits out from Black Sandy. Lake Helena is producing a few walleye while trolling crankbaits or bottom bouncers with a crawler harness. A few rainbows are being picked up near the Causeway and below Canyon Ferry Dam while using spawn sacks or plain nightcrawlers. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: The rainbow bite has been amazing, and fish are cruising the shorelines. The best places to catch a lot of fish from shore are along the road to the Gates of the Mountains boat ramp, The BLM boat ramp, and around Log Gulch boat ramp. The best flies to use have been egg or leech patterns or wooly buggers. Some anglers are doing well while casting spoons or spinners or using night crawlers, spawn sacks, or power bait. Boat anglers have been doing well fly fishing and while trolling crankbaits. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Rainbow fishing continues to be excellent from shore throughout the reservoir with the best action occurring on the north end between the Outhouse, Shannon and Kim’s Marina. Most anything has been working with the favorites being leech pattern flies or small black or brown nymphs as well as jigs, worms, spawn sacks and spoons. Boat anglers are also catching a few rainbows on the north end while fishing close to shore. The Silos area has produced some rainbows and walleye from both shore and boat. A few walleye are being caught around the Ponds on rapalas or jigs. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: The rainbow bite has been amazing while fishing from shore below Canyon Ferry Dam, and near York Bridge boat ramp. Small streamers, egg flies and leech patterns have been working well and some anglers are using spawn sacks or plain crawlers on floating jigs. A few walleye are being caught below Canyon Ferry Dam while using jigs and crawlers and in Lake Helena while trolling Rapalas or bottom bouncers with a crawler harness. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: The rainbow bite has been amazing while fishing from shore near the Gates of the Mountains, the BLM boat ramp near the dam, and Log Gulch boat ramp. Wooly Buggers and egg pattern flies have been working great and some anglers are having luck casting spoons and spinners or using spawn sacks. Boat anglers are also catching good numbers of rainbows while trolling flashers or various crankbaits on the lower end of the reservoir. Walleye and perch fishing has been slow, but should start to pick up with warming water temps. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Shore fishing for rainbows is beginning to slow up a bit as the fish are starting to move offshore. Rainbows are being caught from shore on the north end between the Outhouse, Shannon and Kim’s Marina while using leech pattern flies or small black or brown nymphs as well as worms and spoons. Boat anglers are starting to catch more rainbows throughout the reservoir while using rapalas or flashers while fishing close to shore. The Silos area is producing rainbows, walleye and perch around the river mouth and between Ponds 3 and 4 while using rapalas or jigs with a worm. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena

Hauser: Rainbow fishing has been good below Canyon Ferry Dam and near York Bridge boat ramp. Boat and shore anglers are catching good numbers of fish while using dark colored leech patterns, wooly buggers, and small streamers or spawn sacks. The walleye bite on Lake Helena has picked up and anglers have been doing well while trolling various crankbaits or bottom bouncers with chartreuse or perch-colored walleye spinners. A few walleye are being caught from the Causeway Bridge during the late evening hours while using various jigs tipped with crawlers. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Holter: Good numbers of rainbows are still cruising the shorelines and fly fishing from shore has been very productive while using either dark colored leech patterns or egg patterns. Boat anglers are doing well for trout while trolling 20 to 25 feet deep with lead core line and crankbaits or cowbells with a wedding ring style spinner. There have been a few kokanee salmon picked up on the lower end of the reservoir while out trolling for trout. Look for walleye and perch fishing to pick up with the warming water temps by the end of this week. Jigging with crawlers or leeches around points and weed beds is a good tactic. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Region 4 | Fisheries Division

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Walleye fishing is good around Pond 1, between Confederate and Goose Bay and north and south of White Earth on the west shore. Crankbaits are producing the best with walleye also being caught on bottom bouncers with spinner blades or jigs with a worm in 15-25 feet of water. Rainbows are being caught on walleye gear, lures or cowbells in the traditional walleye spots as well as the north end of the reservoir. The Silos area to Pond 4 has been decent for both walleye and rainbows from shore with worms. Rainbows are being caught from shore at Confederate and Goose Bay on a hook and worm. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: The walleye bite has been good inside the Causeway Arm, out on Lake Helena, and around the Eldorado Tailings while pitching chartreuse or green jigs or trolling bottom bouncers with fire tiger spinners tipped with crawlers or leeches. The rainbow bite has been best during the early morning hours while trolling 20 to 30 feet down in the water column and using flashers with various spinners and crawlers between Black Sandy and the Powerlines. A few rainbows and walleye are being found below Canyon Ferry Dam while drifting slip bobbers with nightcrawlers and while pitching purple or pink marabou jigs with crawler pieces. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: The walleye bite has been good while pitching fire tiger or purple-colored hair jigs and leeches around the weed beds in 10-25 feet of water near Cottonwood Creek, around the Oxbow Bend, and in some of the bays on the west side of the reservoir near the Dam. Some anglers are finding walleye while trolling bottom bouncers and slow death rigs along the Clay Banks. Perch are being picked up while searching for walleye around the weed beds with walleye tackle, but the best perch bite has been while using smaller jigs and crawlers. The rainbow fishing has been great throughout the reservoir, mostly during the early morning hours. Some anglers are doing well on the upper end while using slip bobbers and plain crawlers, and others are finding good numbers of rainbows while trolling flashers and spinner combos with downrigger or lead core line 25-40 feet deep on the lower end of the reservoir. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks | Region 4

Dave Sedlock

Canyon Ferry: Walleyes and perch are being caught from Duck Creek to Confederate, around White Earth, Goose Bay, Hellgate and Cemetary Island while trolling bottom bouncers with a worm harness in 20 to 30 feet of water or jigs with a worm. Rainbows are being caught on walleye gear, lures or cowbells in the traditional walleye spots as well as the north end of the reservoir between Cemetary Island and Hellgate. Smallmouth bass are showing up around Cemetary Island while trolling crankbaits. Shore fishing is slow. Troy Humphrey, FWP, Helena
Hauser: Walleye fishing has been decent inside the Causeway Arm, between York Bridge and Soup Creek, and around the Eldorado Tailings while jigging with crawlers, or trolling bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses. Rainbow fishing has been good at the Causeway Bridge and below Canyon Ferry Dam while using leech pattern flies or plain crawlers and while trolling cowbells with spinner combos or crankbaits between the Dam and York Bridge. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Holter: Perch fishing continues to be great while jigging with crawlers around the weed beds throughout the reservoir. A few walleye are being found while trolling worm harnesses around the Clay Banks. Rainbow action has been awesome while trolling cowbells and spinner combos between Split Rock and the Dam and across from Cottonwood Creek. On the upper end of the reservoir, trout anglers are using streamers, nymphs, or leech pattern flies and some rainbows are being caught from shore at Departure point with worms and marshmallows. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena
Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir: The snagging season for Kokanee Salmon opened on September 1st and will run through October 31st. Limits are 35 salmon daily with 70 in possession. Chris Hurley, FWP, Helena

Christopher Hurley | Fisheries Technician

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks | Region 4

1534 9th Avenue

P.O. Box 200701

Helena, MT 59620-0701

Office: (406) 495-3272